


Sketch

by Soir



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Art, Featuring an adorable shitty brat named Eren, Fluff, I have no regrets., Jealous!Levi, M/M, Sassy Little Shortie, Seriously it's all fluff, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, sketch - freeform, what have I done?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2014-01-23
Packaged: 2017-12-30 20:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1023149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soir/pseuds/Soir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi pulled his cup to his lips to take another sip. His face wrinkled at the taste of cold tea. There weren't very many things that could break Levi's straight stare, but cold tea was one of them. Cold tea and the titan brat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Disappearances

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fanfiction. I meant to write this as a short story, but I think I went overboard with the idea. Sorry if it's riddled with errors, I can't pick up on everything, and I have no editor.
> 
> Enjoy, and I hope I don't scar you all with my writing. :3
> 
> <3
> 
> Note: I call Levi a captain because I can. He's much more than a Lance Corporal. Geez.

The sun glistened brightly, even through the wayward clouds that drifted along in between the reds and oranges within the trees. Autumn was fast approaching, and the leaves were being swept away from their branches to dance with the wind. A golden leaf stuck onto the Captain's forehead, which he quickly swiped away with a swift hand. His eyebrows were crunched together as he watched the miserable sight in front of him, sighing deeply. 

Eren gasped for breath, struggling to maintain his posture as Petra landed kicks and punches in all his vulnerable spots. The woman was petite, but there was undeniable strength behind each strike. Even when Eren had managed to catch a punch, Petra always found a way to pry open his defenses. He couldn't even get passed Petra, and it was a fact that she was the weakest of everyone within Levi's squad. Not that any of them were weak to begin with. 

Eren's body was at its limit, and a layer of sweat covered his skin, despite the cool breeze that passed him. He tugged his shirt's sleeve across his forehead, the sweat dampening the cloth. He was panting like a dog; his nostrils flaring and mouth gaped open. Eren dared a glance at his superior who was standing against a shaded tree. He could feel the glare Levi was giving him even from a ways off. When their eyes met, the Captain kicked himself off the tree and began to prowl towards them.

Both Petra and Eren tensed up as they watched Levi stalk towards them, a deathly glare fixed upon the new recruit. In silent agreement, the two combatants returned to their practice to avoid the Captain's intensity. 

"What the hell do they teach new recruits these days," Levi spat, his tone displeased, "You look like you're about to pass out, brat."

Eren, despite his efforts, was once again defeated by Petra. He could barely hold himself up, his legs only standing because of sheer determination. His opponent, in contrast, looked almost bored. Petra dusted off the dirt that had stuck to her boots, and returned to her fighting stance, not a sweat shed from all the fighting. Levi signaled for another round, and once again, Petra had Eren coiled in her snares, like a snake would to its prey.

The Captain shook his head, "Let's take a break. Watching this fucking kid fail is makes want to offer my body up as titan meat on a silver platter."

"B-but Sir," Eren garbled as he attempted to free himself from Petra's chokehold, "I almost got it!"

Levi felt a twitch in his eye. Eren flinched, readying himself for any sudden movements on the Captain's part. Noticing a flash of fear in Eren's eyes, Levi restrained himself from any sort of punishment that clouded his head. 

"If you _almost_ had it, we would have been done four hours ago. Petra, get the hell of the brat and do something more productive with yourself. We're taking a break." 

Petra pulled him up, as the rest of the squad filed into the castle. 

"Sorry for disappointing all of you, Petra" Eren said, his face flustered from both humiliation and exhaustion.

"Don't worry, you're getting the hang of it," Petra smiled as she followed his gaze that traced the Captain's footsteps, "it may seem like he hates you, but it's quite the opposite Eren."

A colder breeze swept past them again, the sweat on his body cooling and Eren shivered at the sudden change of temperature. 

After a moment Eren replied, "It's pretty obvious he hates me."

Petra only giggled in reply, ruffled Eren's brown locks, quickly regretting it as his sweat stuck to her hand. With an appalled grunt at the state of her hand, Petra turned towards the castle. She left Eren confused as she caught up to the rest of the squad.

The courtyard was cleared of everyone except Eren. He rubbed the back of his neck, cracking it as he twisted slowly. Surely, he had improved. Ever since he had been with Levi's squad, he had been pulled, punched, kicked in every which way. Not to mention the constant verbal harassment he received from is superior, which tired Eren more than physical labour. His training regimen was both physically and mentally draining. 

It was unfair.

The Captain barely gave him a chance to show his worth. Sure, he wasn't as strong as Mikasa, as bright as Armin, or as good of a leader as that horse-faced Jean, but Eren always made sure he tried his best.

 _Perhaps effort and undying determination just doesn't cut it, huh?_ He thought bitterly.

Eren sighed, and rubbed his temples. He needed to rest. He yearned for a great escape. Discreetly, Eren grabbed a small bag he had hidden behind a tree and disappeared into the forest beyond the courtyard. 

* * *

Levi pulled his cup to his lips to take another sip. His face wrinkled at the taste of cold tea. There weren't very many things that could break Levi's straight stare, but cold tea was one of them. Cold tea and the titan brat. When he had told the squad to go for a break, he didn't mean to disappear for two hours straight. Adopting an inexperienced kid into his team was more work for everyone, but he very well knew that Eren had a gift. Despite his pathetic uselessness to every aspect of being a productive person, Levi held a tinge of respect for the kid. Eren had the ability to shift into a titan, which was the greatest advantage against the titans humanity has ever had, but Levi saw something more. A raging tenacity and passion to fight and protect. That itself was a greater power than any. And that element was what Levi respected.

Levi scoffed at his thoughts. What is he thinking, being impressed with the damned brat? He and his team had still yet to find the damn kid. Levi wouldn't have been surprised if the brat had managed to find himself outside the walls, and devoured by a titan already. He placed his cup down onto his desk and was about to join the rest of his squad to search for Eren when the door swung open. Auruo and Petra walked in, Eren trailing behind them.

"Found him!" Petra and Auruo chirped in unison. Their good mood vanished in an instant when their eyes met Levi's cold stare. Auruo shrieked when Levi took a glance at him and Petra. His eyes trailed across the three and pinned them on Eren.

"W-well, we're best be off," Auruo pulled Petra from her collar, pulling the door behind them. Petra eyed Eren, a deep concern for the boy held in her gaze as the Captain's door closed behind them.

Eren looked at everything in the room but the figure that stood in front of him. If it weren’t for the dark atmosphere in the room, the Captain's chambers would have been a pleasant haven. Every inch of the room was scrubbed clean, and despite the old furniture that accompanied the castle fortress, the room was the least bit dreary. The last remaining sunlight streamed into the room, tinting the walls a gentle orange. The air outside cooled the room as it drifted into the office, flicking the curtains up and down as it entered. Eren had forgotten the reason for his summoning, and his mind began to drift. 

"You done raping my office with your eyes?" Levi interrupted his daydream with his comment.

In seconds, the room felt like a different place. All it took was the steady death stare from the Captain's narrow eyes to change everything. The tension was unbearable, and Eren felt like he was being choked. The office walls seemed to close in, and the Captain, who was short a couple of inches of Eren's height, seemed to grow and dominate the whole room. Eren could swear he saw a black aura oozing off of the Captain's skin, his eyes turning red in anger. 

"Where the hell have you been, you insolent brat?" Levi wasn't a man who believed in flattery.

"In the woods," Eren's gaze traced the cracks of the stonewalls with his eyes, "I must have dozed off."

"You think this is a fucking field trip, Eren? I said I was to take responsibility for you, not to babysit you," Levi growled, resting himself against his desk. He examined the boy in front of him and winced. He was covered in dirt and dust from head to toe, and pieces of grass were caught in his hair. Levi figured is must have been from the training with Petra. But his eyes caught onto the boy's hands.

Eren's hands were black. 

They were covered in unimaginable filth, as if he was scrubbing them against the charcoal from the fire pit. Levi could felt something inside his head crack. The last of his patience was finally drawn. He approached the boy and pulled his hands out, holding onto his wrists so the filth wouldn't be transferred onto him.  

"You really are doing this on purpose aren't you?" Levi sighed, "you are _the_  most troublesome dumbass I've ever met."

Eren looked away, for once submissive.

 "What is this crap on your hands?"

The boy kept his lips sealed together. Eren was feeling especially defiant after his training. 

"Tell me or I'll—"

Hanji burst into the room, her glasses bouncing on her nose as she skipped into Levi's room. Despite the strange occurrence between Levi and Eren, Hanji paid no mind and sat herself in the Captain's seat, squirming to get herself comfortable. 

"Levi! I've come to borrow Eren—"

"Get the hell off my chair."

"—So we can experiment on how—"

"Learn some manners and knock before you enter."

"—He is able to transform into his—"

"Drag your dirty ass out of my office."

"—Titan form and it will be the most beautiful—"

"Now."

"—Thing this squad has ever seen!" 

Hanji wore a large grin as she inhaled deeply to catch her breath. Levi's attention remained with Eren, his dark eyes never leaving the soiled hands he grasped tightly. Hanji, suddenly realizing the situation closed her mouth and curiously watched the scene in front of her unfold. 

Levi was staring Eren down, but the boy didn't seem to back down. For a couple of minutes the stared at one another, neither was backing out from the connection. Eren's eyes began to water, and a pink blush began to form on his cheeks as time went on. Hanji remained silent, watching the two with a smirk on her lips. 

The Captain sighed. Both Eren and Hanji were surprised when Levi was the first break apart from their staring contest. 

"The one time I'm actually asking you to speak, you refuse to open your mouth," Levi snapped, tightening his grasp on Eren's wrist, and then letting go with force. 

He moved towards his desk and pushed Hanji off his chair with force. He wiped his hands on his handkerchief, cleaning the dirt from them and pulled a stack of papers in front of him. 

"Take the damn brat out of here and do your experiments. It's already getting dark so make it quick. I won't be supervising this time so make sure not to do something stupid," Levi said as he glanced towards Hanji, "and you, brat. You're to report to me tomorrow at eight o'clock sharp. Understood?"

A mix of "Yes, Sir," and "You got it, Levi!" was said in unison between Hanji and Eren. And within moments, Levi was left alone in his thoughts. 

 _You think you can get away with this? You've underestimated me_. Levi thought.

He was going to find out what Eren was hiding. No matter what.


	2. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren's 'secret' is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thanks for all the kudos <3 I appreciate them a lot.  
> Anyways, here's the second chapter. I meant for this to be TWO, but I figure that it's too short for that, so I just combined them.
> 
> This is all fluff. It's cringe-worthy, really.
> 
> Once again, sorry for the shitty writing. Dx

"…I was drawing," Eren confessed to Hanji as he washed his hands. It was already dark, but the Squad Captain had taken him for a walk outside the castle walls. For once, Eren was relieved that Hanji had come for her experiments. Often times, he was afraid of the Squad Captain's presence, as she seems to have a strange fetish for titans, and that was something that was generally not okay. Apart from her titan obsession though, Hanji was an interesting person to be around. She was constantly hopping around, with boundless energy no matter what she was doing.

 

"That's it?! I seriously thought that you were laying titan eggs in the forest with the way you guarded your secret," Hanji marked sarcastically, "anyways, why didn't you just tell the truth, Eren?"

 

Eren turned of the faucet and flicked his hands to dry them. The majority of the dark pigment had been removed, but the creases in his hands were permanently stained with the black pastel that he had used. He turned to face Hanji, and they began to return to the castle walking side by side.

 

"Because I have a feeling he'd take that away from me--you know, as punishment for being an incompetent brat," Eren tried to imitate his Captain's deep voice as he whined his complaints to Hanji. The woman did nothing but giggle, and patted Eren on the back, with a little too much force.

 

Eren caught himself just before he completely tripped over himself, and gave Hanji a questioning look. Much to his disappointment, the woman didn't seem to be interested in satiating his curiosity.

 

"Well, it's dark already, so you should get some rest, I'm sure Levi will have something planned for you,” she said, as she stretched her arms up.

 

"But what about the experiments?"

 

"Oh, as much as I'd love to, I don't think it's a good idea to do so at night," Hanji winked, "Petra asked me to save you from our Captain's wrath."

 

Both thankful for Hanji saving him, and relieved she wouldn't be doing any experiments, Eren saluted to the Squad Captain and retreated to his chambers in the basement of the Castle.

 

Eren found himself in his darkened chamber, the only light from a small lantern in outside his underground cage. The guard nodded at his presence and creaked open the metal bars that lead into his prisoned bedroom.

 

* * *

 

 

The morning had come, but couldn’t have possibly known until Erd had come fetched him from his cell. The darkness of the basement did little to wake Eren, but despite that, he pulled himself from his bed and readied himself for the day. He tugged on his clothes and clasped on his belts and buckles, along with his maneuvering gear. Just before he headed out from his cell, he grabbed his small bag from the corner of the room and headed out.

 

When he surfaced from the stairs that lead him to the upper floors of the castle, and noticed that the sun was yet to rise. He knew Levi expected him to be early for their training, but the rest of the squad, aside from Erd and the Captain never woke before the sun was shining brightly.

 

He scurried into the kitchen to grab a loaf of bread and water for his breakfast, acknowledging Erd’s presence as he sipped coffee whilst scribbling on documents in front of him. Eren navigated himself through the castle, each nook and cranny now in his permanent memory after many weeks.

 

He took this opportunity to sneak into the woods, wary of any followers or witnesses that could give away his secret, and once again disappeared into his escape.

 

In the shadows of the darkened castle, a short stature stalked the young soldier from a window.

 

“You weren’t careful enough, kid,” the Captain, breathe out to himself, a dark smirk forming on his lips. He watched the young man slowly cross the courtyard, constantly turning his head in every direction, checking to make sure he was alone and he wasn’t being watched.

 

Levi sneered at Eren’s foolishness. Did he truly believe he would get away with whatever he’s doing? He had underestimated Levi’s abilities. The Captain had followed the boy with his eyes until he reached the edge of the courtyard, and entered the forest. Levi shrugged on his green coat and confirmed the security of his gear before exiting his bedroom door.

 

“Time fore a little recon mission,” he mumbled to himself, eyes growing sharp like a hunter eyeing prey.

 

* * *

 

 

Eren breathe in deeply. The air was crisp and light, as if it was purified by the night. It stung his nose, but he was grateful for the change of atmosphere from his musky basement air. He allowed himself to smile.

 

The sun was beginning to rise from the horizon. His secret nook in the forest gleamed in oranges and yellows and golds. The newborn sunlight hued the forest in a golden glow that reflected among the wet dew that clung to the blades of grass beneath him, glittering the forest with shimmering light.

 

 

Eren shrugged off his green cloak and let it float down to the ground. From his sack, he pulled a small sketchpad and a box filled with charcoal. As with many luxuries, art supplies were difficult to find. Pigments were difficult to come by, and if there were any, they were reserved for the best of artists. Even paper was something hard to come by. Eren wasn’t one to complain, though.

 

After his confession to Hanji of his secret hobby, Hanji had given him a share of her supplies, which included a dozen of notebooks varying in sizes, and an arrangement of pencils and charcoal. Eren was overwhelmed by Hanji’s kindness that he volunteered his body to whatever experiments she wanted. He regretted that soon after though, as a suspicious expression began to form on Hanji’s face.

 

Eren continued to let his mind drift away from reality as he plopped himself down on his green cloak and opened his sketchbook. He flipped onto a fresh page and began to sketch his surroundings. He started with a droplet barely hanging from the ends of a leaf, within its reflection the forest surrounding it. Eren moved onto the moss-covered tree trunks, then to the wilting flowers that have been touched by the morning dew.

 

He was so into his drawings that he had not noticed the shadow creeping beside him until a shadow had cast down onto his sketchbook.

 

“Oi, brat."

 

Eren gawked, stuttered and stared wide-eyed at the new presence beside him. His gut had dropped and his heart shrunk as he realized who was standing just a few inches beside him. He scuffled to his feet and gave his commanding officer a salute, only to realize that his notebook and charcoal had been scattered around his feet. In a panic, Eren shoved them all into his sack, and postured himself into the salute once again, hoping that his Captain hadn’t noticed his drawings.

 

“This is what you’ve been hiding all this time?” Levi motioned towards Eren’s bag.

 

“S-sir, I’m not hiding anything, sir!” Eren held his salute tightly.

 

“Tell me, Eren,” Levi swept his hair back, “Do you see me as some sort of moron?”

 

“No, sir!”

 

“Then will you stop trying to bullshit your way out of this mess you’ve made yourself?” A deathly gleam came from Levi’s eyes, and Eren surrendered.

 

With a sigh, Eren loosened his posture and plopped himself down once again. He rubbed his neck and closed his eyes.

 

 

“Yes, sir.” He hesitated to continue on, but sensing his Captain’s impatience growing, he began his explanation, “I thought that if I had told you about my hobby, that you would see it as a distraction from my training and ban it.”

 

Eren couldn’t meet Levi’s eyes, and instead focused on the grass that had long dried. A long silence passed between the two, the only sound being the whispers of the trees and leaves with the blowing wind.

 

“Let me see them.” Levi was the one to break the silence.

 

“See what, sir?”

 

“I want to see your shiny ass,” the Captain marked sarcastically and sighed, “You fucking dense brat, what do you think I’m talking about?”

 

Eren squealed nervously and reached into his bag, then handed his sketchbook to Levi. With no effort of gentleness, the Captain swiped the book from Eren’s hands and began to flip through them, examining each page with scrutinizing eyes.

 

“Tch. I seriously thought that you would be hiding pornographic images in here or something,” Levi said flatly.

 

“What—no!” Eren replied, bewilderedly, “I-I just wanted to keep drawing. It’s the only thing that keeps my anger contained. Especially after Trost. I was so thankful for Armin and Hanji for encouraging my drawing. But after you noticed my dirty hands from the charcoal…”

 

Levi examined Eren from the corner of his eye. The boy was strangely out of character of late—that being extremely calm in comparison to their first meeting. He even noticed that Eren had more patience learning new techniques that he could not grasp at first hand, and his concentration had gone up tenfold every time he retuned from his drawing. Levi could do nothing but sigh.

 

Eren on the other hand continued to avoid Levi’s gaze, afraid of the repercussions that he was about to face. Although he would give up everything to rid the world of titans, drawing was the one thing he had that removed all the worries in his mind.

 

“I’ll make an exception, you cheesy brat.”

 

Eren’s face lit up from Levi’s statement.

 

“But seriously, art of all things? I thought you were doing some kinky shit in the first with the deer in this forest. Whatever, brat. As long as it keeps you out of trouble, I could give two shits about what you do in your spare time. Just make sure you report to me. And make sure you scrub your filthy hands when you’re done. It’s fucking disgusting.”

 

The Captain began to return to the base, his cloak flapping softly as he strode away from Eren, not waiting for a response from the boy.

 

Eren’s expressions soured at Levi’s assumptions, which were surprisingly similar to Hanji’s reaction. But despite that, Eren was more than happy. Not knowing exactly what to say to his superior, Eren let out an audible hum from the back of his throat.

 

Levi, who had his back to Eren, turned his head back to whip the boy with a sarcastic comment about being much too happy about it and—

 

Oh.

 

Eren was sitting cross-legged on the forest floor. His brown hair was a mess of tangles. A large almost-obnoxious smile spread across his face, crinkling is nose, and a pinch of red dusted his cheeks. But what caught Levi’s eyes were his eyes.  Eren’s eyes were wide, filled with emotions that he failed to suppress. They stared deep into Levi, forever engraving the blues and greens that seemed to shine ever so brighter than before.

 

The Captain suddenly took notice of stunned form tried to reformulate the sassy remark that was lost from his tongue.

 

“Brat,” was all he could come up with as he continued his way to the castle.

 

Eren’s grew wider at his Captain’s comment and continued to watch him until he disappeared beyond the trees.

 

He couldn’t believe it. What he had just witnessed?

 

He stopped fretting at the details and began to sketch quickly, with more passion than ever before.

 

* * *

 

 

“C-Captain?” Petra questioned as she saw Levi emerge from the forest, “Did something happen?!”

 

The sound of clanging swords halted at Petra’s voice.

 

The squad tensed as they followed Petra’s gaze to the small figure that was marching towards them. Their faces stunned, wide-eyed and mouths agape. Auruo became flustered, suddenly stuttering and pointing at his Captain. Erd and Gunther were no less surprised.

Levi narrowed his eyes at his squad’s greeting.

 

“Capta—“

 

“Do I have shit on my face or something?”

 

“N-no sir.”

 

“Then would you care to explain to me why you’re all staring at me?”

 

Petra blushed, eyes pulling down to the ground.

 

“C-captain, you’re smiling."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god I'm so lame. Eren's secret isn't even a secret. I guess I'm too innocent for all this. If I had Levi as a captain I would be hiding that kind of stuff as well. T ^ T Maybe it's just me.
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading! <3  
> See you next time!


	3. Presents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi loathes himself. Erwin makes a move. Levi snaps. And as always, Eren is all too telling.

The mood between the squad was much brighter than to had been before. As they sat together in the dining room, as they do most nights, the Captain let his mind wander. He was pleased with the lighter atmosphere of the group, despite not showing it himself. It took off a burden on his back, watching his squad in such a cheery mood. He would never admit it, but he was quite happy. Happier than he’d ever been in quite awhile. He sat at the head of the dinner table, patting his lips of crumbs from his food. The Captain silently observed his squad chat amongst themselves, conversations floating in and out. A conversation caught Levi's attention.  
“Eren, may I see one of you’re new drawings?” Petra asked only to Eren himself.   
  
The news about the titan shifter doubling as an artist spread through the ranks quickly, drawing curious minds to Eren. Everybody wanted to see his work and all too suddenly, there was too much attention drawn to Eren. Levi didn’t quite know what to think of this new fascination of the boy. Though, he was pleased that Eren had began to warm up to the rest of the squad. He began to trust them, in his own way. Eren, at first reluctantly began to share his drawings to the rest of the squad, grew more comfortable around them. Even Erwin took notice of Eren’s hobby and became quite interested in them. They voiced their opinions about Eren’s drawings, all of which positive and encouraging.   
  
The boy took a sip of his drink and nodded, grabbing his sketchbook that never seemed to leave his side. He flipped through quite quickly, a flutter of black and white drawings blurring across. Eren settled on one drawing.   
  
“I’ve been working on it for awhile,” He said in a hushed voice to Petra, eyes glancing towards others, making sure no one else could see or hear.   
  
“Did you draw this last time you were out on the forest?” Petra gasped, eyes wide as she studied the drawing.  
  
Levi heard Eren hum in response.   
  
“I knew it,” Petra gave a knowing smile, “It’s amazing! I think it’s my favourite!"  
  
Eren squirmed in his seat, his fingers tracing the lines of the dining table. A hint of a smile formed on the corner of his lips, but it was his sparkling eyes that told he appreciated the praise.  
  
Petra’s sudden outburst got the rest of the squad curious, even the Captain, though he didn't care to show it.   
Auruo, Gunther and Erd shuffled to their feet to take a peek, but Petra closed the notebook all too quickly.   
  
“Wha—Petra, what’s the deal?!” Auruo narrowed his eyes, mimicking Levi’s stern growl.   
  
“No one else gets to see this one,” Petra said teasingly, “Eren, don’t let anyone see until it’s done, okay?”   
  
She winked, and Eren nodded unsurely.   
  
The commotion continued along, even after Levi had finished his food and returned to his room, feigning disinterest in Eren’s work. From the corner of his eye, he could see blue eyes trailing him as he excited the room, and Levi could swear there was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.  
Days continued on in peace, almost as if the cooling air outside had an effect on their heated attitudes as well. However, Levi's anger towards Eren was replaced with something he couldn't quite place. There was a nagging in the back of his mind whenever he saw the brat, and his eyes always seemed to trail that muddled brown hair wherever it went.  
  
The Captain would often catch himself staring at the boy eating, training or cleaning, and cursed at himself for doing so. Every morning at the crack of dawn Levi watched Eren disappear into the forest, and made sure the brat had always reappeared before training had begun.   
  
Levi envied Eren’s enthusiasm for just about everything, even doing mundane and menial things such as cleaning the stables or sweeping the courtyard. Although he might meet the Captain’s expectations all the time, Eren never hesitated to put in an extra effort.   
  
The Captain looked forward to the evening, when Eren would be the one to call him for dinner. The boy would knock on his door gently, peek into his quarters hesitantly. He would ask the Captain to dinner and he would accompany the Captain down the candle-lit hallways to the dining room. He liked the way the brat followed him closely when they head down for dinner, simply appreciating the boy’s presence near him. During meals, he took note of every little habit Eren had,  from the way his eyebrows were furrowed in concentration when he eats, to the way he left to eat his vegetables last. Levi would stare out the window, past everyone's gaze, but he always made sure to keep the blue-eyed boy at the corner of his vision.   
  
Every night, after the castle had settled down, quieting as the sky grows dark, Levi would walk Eren down to his chambers in the basement, keys clinking together as two sets of footprints descended the staircase. He hated the night. The Captain noticed how Eren would tense up as soon as he was told it was time to sleep, and on the way down, Eren’s pace became slower and slower as they neared his chambers.   
  
They would never exchange any words, and the ritual of locking Eren in his room was all done in silence. Levi hated the look on Eren’s face when he pull the gates closed, and the bolts lock in place as he twist the key. Eren’s face always darkened. The shine in his bright blue eyes dulled by the darkness surrounding him. His muscles were tense as he lit up the small light beside his bed. Most of all, Levi hated how the damn brat always smiled at him before he left. Despite the fact that he hated where he was situated, he still found it within him to smile.   
  
As Levi readied himself to sleep, he found himself looking forward to mornings. He hated himself for it because it wasn’t in his nature to look forward to anything. Then he realized he hated how he liked watching Eren, and dwelled on the fact that all his attention seemed to drift towards the boy. Even when he didn’t want it to. Levi pulled the blankets to his chin and let himself simmer in conflicting and bittersweet thoughts of the little brat.  
  
  
Erwin began to visit more often. Which was strange, because he seldom had spare time in his schedule. Whenever the Commander had visited, there was always purpose, some sort of strict business Levi never cared about. But these days, he seemed to appear in the castle, simply to visit and nothing more.  Even more strange was that he wasn’t coming for Levi, but for Eren. He seemed to have taken a liking to the boy and his drawings.   
One day the Commander had dropped by to speak to Levi, after a trip from deep within the walls. He brought sour news regarding the fragile state of the Survey Corps., and the mood darkened further when he had once again surfaced the grand expedition outside the walls. Levi wasn't mood wasn't affected by this however. It's just another suicide mission. Whether he dies or not is in the hands of fate. Strangely enough though, what bothered Levi was something far less concerning.   
  
After he had spoken to Erwin and Hanji, Levi took some time to complete paper work that he had allowed to pile up over the course of the week. He cursed to himself for allowing so much work to do so, but complied to it. After a couple of minutes had passed, and just as Levi was beginning to concentrate, Erwin had returned and gently knocked on his door. Slightly irritated from the distruption, the Captain replied with a snappy, "What?"   
  
"That's not the way to speak to the Commander, Captain Levi," Erwin retorted, his eyebrows furrowed. Levi was unphased by the blond man's threatening tone.  
  
"If you're here to take a dump in my bathroom, you better think twice." Levi snapped back, disinterest clear in his voice.   
  
"I'm just trying to find Eren."  
  
 _Eren, why the little shit all of a sudden?_ Levi repeated the question aloud, try his best to sound unphased.   
  
"Oh, nothing really," Erwin raised his hand and shook a wooden box, showing it off to Levi, "I brought him a present."   
  
 _What the flying fuck is going on? Since when the hell did Erwin bring anyone presents?_ A heavy feeling began to bubble in Levi's chest. He narrowed his eyes, but kept his gaze towards the paper on his desk.   
  
This was all getting out of hand. All of this newfound curiosity of Eren annoyed the hell out of him. Why was every so interested in his art? For fucks sake, the boy can shift into a fifteen meter titan, and what people took interest in was his ability to scribble lines on a paper? What the hell?   
  
It was only a couple of days ago that everyone had feared him. Avoided him. Thought of him as a monster. They hated him, and no one trusted the boy except Levi. That’s right, it was only him who had a single ounce of respect of the kid. He was the one that took responsibility for the kid, took him under his wings and adopted him into his elite squad. He was the one to defend him when others tried to hurt him. It was him who first found Eren’s talent for art. Levi was the only one who didn't wear a mask. Eren was his soldier.   
  
Eren was _his_.   
  
That sudden thought has caught Levi off-guard, and his grip on his pen tightened until the wood had groaned between his fingertips.   
  
"...Levi?" Erwin called out to the Captain, pulling him back into reality.    
  
Levi sighed loudly and replied, “Most likely in the dining room. He usually helps Petra make lunch.”  
  
Erwin nodded and disappeared from Levi’s entryway. It didn’t take the Captain too long to stalk towards the dining room. He didn’t even know exactly why he was doing so. When he arrived at his location he found Erwin chatting with Eren near the back of the room. Eren leaned against the frame of the window, his full attention on the Commander. Levi busied himself with making tea, but minded the quiet conversation happening behind him.  
  
“…you’ll like this colour, it’s the perfect...” Erwin said, as he slid open the cover of the wooden box, angling it towards Eren.   
  
“C-commander, I can’t accept this! These are valuable,” Eren replied, obviously flustered.   
  
A small chuckle came from the taller blond, “You may find them hard come by, but I can easily find these, especially deep within the walls. Take them, that’s an order.”  
  
 _Erwin got him something rare? Sometime valuable? What the hell?_  
  
 _“_ O-okay,” Eren said, almost too unsurely, but the his look in his eyes defied his voice. They were wide open, his blue eyes swimming with gratitude and overwhelming happiness. It reminded Levi of when he had found him in the forest.   
  
 _Stupid brat, your face is too telling._  
  
Just when Levi had thought his predicament couldn’t get any worst, Erwin’s next move certainly surprised him. The Commander leaned down on Eren, pinning him to the window frame, his lips inches from Eren’s ear. He whispered something in Eren’s ear, but Levi couldn’t catch a single word. He didn’t really need to hear it, though. Eren’s face said all he needed to know. The stupid brat face’s flared into a deep red and his lips parted in surprise. His eyes, still sparkling, now wavered with embarrassment.   
  
With that, Erwin smiled and pulled back. Levi could almost feel himself steaming in anger. If he wanted to, he could boil water for his tea with just his hands.   
  
“Oh, Levi. Where you here the whole time?” Erwin called out as soon as he turned towards him.   
  
“I wanted some tea,” Levi replied, pulling the cup he held towards his lips.  
  
“Well, it would taste better if you put some water in there,” Erwin said, patting Levi’s back as he headed out the door.  
  
Levi snapped.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, sorry for the long wait. I'm not very good with consistent updates. We all know everyone's busy during this time of year so I won't give you the whole rant about that. Anyways, as usual I apologize for my shitty writing and editing skills because I lack any and I just really want to share this with all of you.
> 
> Levi's being a little shit. You all know you love it. I originally had some smut in this chapter but I decided to take it out because I realized I wanted it to keep it all innocent because that's what Levi's affection for Eren is right now. It's innocent. 
> 
> I love you all and thanks for the support! See you all next time!


	4. Portrait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Eren needed was a gentle touch. And Levi needed some more tea, though that came way after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys. I did it.
> 
> *cries*
> 
> Okay, I'm so so so sorry it took so long. I got caught up playing Assassin's Creed IV, and well, by the time I realized I should work on this, it was already January and school was starting. I was like halfway done then bam, school. 
> 
> Whatever, that's in the past. 
> 
> ENJOY~
> 
> Yes, this is the finale to my first fan fiction. GAAH.

Eren stretched his arms after ridding the courtyard of stray leaves that abandoned the branches of its trees. The mornings have become much colder, forcing him to wear all the layers of uniform he had owned. Despite the work he was assigned to so early in the morning, Eren was in a cheery mood. He hummed to himself as he returned the tools to the shed and entered welcoming warmth of the castle.

He was truly grateful for the Survey Corps. There was no one else that would have accepted him, the way thesy had done. Despite being a monster–a titan–humanity’s enemy, they still treated him as human. He was seen as a soldier, as much as anyone else was. Yes, he was a threat still, but they took every precaution and chose to use his powers to aid humanity rather than bringing him to an early death. They even went so far as to dubbing him Humanity’s Hope, a title Eren couldn’t see himself living up to.

He was truly thankful for the Commander’s kindness or compassion, or whatever emotion it was that had given Eren a chance. The way he had shaken his hand that day, after the events in court, Eren felt that he could be trusted. The way he looked at him with clear eyes that showed no fear of his monstrosity. He respected the man very much. To the Commander, he was a part of the Survey Corps, not just a weapon.

Not to mention the overwhelming kindness that he had showed the other day. Giving Eren such a present. It was strange how the Commander was able to read his intentions so easily, and how he had chosen the perfect gift to execute it. Just thinking about it made Eren’s cheeks heat.

Eren continued down the hallways of the castle until he reached the kitchen.

“Looks like someone’s in a good mood,” the teasing voice made Eren jump and swivel his feet to face its direction, “Are you thinking of naughty things Eren? Your face is red!”s

“Captain Hanji!” Eren exclaimed, “That’s not it at all!”

“Let’s get straight to the point,” Hanji stood from her chair and hovered around Eren, wild eyes never leaving his gaze, “I heard the Commander gave you a present.”

In an instant, Eren’s nose fumed a bright red that spread to cheeks and the tops of ears. He could feel the heat that permeated from his skin and attempted to cover his blush, but Hanji was too quick not too notice. She cackled, much too loudly at Eren’s reaction.

“So I was right!” Hanji clapped her hands together, “Did you like it? I told him you’d like it. It took him quite awhile to find those. Is that why you’re blushing like a school girl? Oh, Eren! You’re too innocent.”

Hanji wrapped her arms around Eren’s shoulder and towed him into the dining room, and seated him across from where she was. She waited patiently for Eren to respond.

“First off, I’m not a school girl! And it wasn’t what he gave me that has made me flustered, it’s what he said,” regret rolled of Eren’s tongue as soon as he realized what he had just confessed to the squad captain.

Hanji laughed hysterically, “You’re not falling for the Commander, are you now?!”

“No!"

Hanji replied by cackling louder. Eren sat there, staring at the squad captain, unamused by the whole idea.

“Oh Eren, I’m just playing with you! Don’t be such a downer,” Hanji shuffled closer to his seat, “But you know, you should leave one of them for us. It’s greedy to take both you know.”

With that, Hanji stood and exited, leaving a flushed Eren, his forehead hitting the table with a loud thud.

–

Levi lied. There was more than a couple of things that made him tick. In fact, almost everything made him tick. But more than anything, even more than cold tea, or Eren fucking Yaeger, was himself. Levi hated himself. He hated himself because he knew exactly what was happening to him. He knew the reason why he found himself smiling in the forest. He knew why his eyes always found the titan brat. He knew why there was a knot in his chest when Erwin mentioned the brat's name. And when he saw Erwin leaning over the stupid kid...

He slammed his teacup to the table and grimaced at the thought.

Levi hated himself because despite all these years of experiencing death, training to kill, and closing himself off, nothing prepared him for this goddamn shit. He hated himself for this stupid feeling. Even thinking of the damn word left a sour taste in his mouth.

Hell, was this even legal?

Sure, the age of consent was fifteen, but he was much, much older than Jaeger. He was an old man already, and it was selfish of him to rob the boy of his youth. There wasn’t much Levi could offer, he was practically an empty shell of a person. He had no money, no property, not even a life to himself. He had solely dedicated his life to the Survey Corps. That’s right, that’s what a soldier’s duty is. That’s both of their responsibility, right? But yet, Levi found it in himself to make room for more.

Wait, was the stupid brat even willing to..? Fuck, he hadn’t thought of that. Maybe Levi was the only one who thought of these things. Maybe he was the only one who noticed every detail about the other. Maybe it was only him who felt this way. That’s right, this is all one-sided. All of this is his imagination. Besides, the way the stupid brat blushed and squeaked beside Erwin was more than enough to show that there was something between those two.

Fuck, why was he even considering this now? He shifted in his seat and buried his face into his hands. He could ignore it. He could pretend that he didn’t feel anything. He was good at it, wasn’t he?

Levi sighed and admitted defeat.

He knew that that was impossible. He liked that no-brained, stupid-faced pathetic shitty little brat. And he hated himself for it.

Levi let the darkness crawl into his chambers, as the sun set behind the forest. Hours had passed on, and he was finally on the last report piled on his desk. He sighed and lifted his cup of tea. Empty. Sighing deeper this time, he pulled himself from his chair and stretched.

Carrying his cup of tea, Levi walked through the narrow halls of the castle while reviewing the reports he held in his hand. When he reached the the kitchen, he found Eren’s head resting on the dinner table, arms outstretched in front of him. Levi, very much to his displeasure, studied Eren awkward positioning, and couldn’t help a small smile. He removed the smile from his lips and strode towards the sink.

“Tch,” Levi sounded to show off his presence, and Eren shot up from his seat and saluted, “You shouldn’t lay your head on the table, I wasn’t the one to clean it, so it’s probably filthy.”

“Yes, sir!” Eren replied much too loudly and all too formally. Levi could almost laugh at the soldier’s stiffness, but he kept his face straight. Levi didn’t take much pleasure in purposefully being an ass, but just this once, he let himself do so.

“Wow, so strict. It’s nice to see you so formal,” Levi shifted his weight to his other foot, “I can only wonder how you’re so relaxed towards our dear Commander.”

He watched the boy’s face change and shift into a multitude of emotions, from confusion to embarassement to anger. His brows furrowed and he ran his hand through his hair, not quite knowing what to do with himself. And his cheeks blushed that blushed all too red spread to his the tips of his ears. But as usual, what caught Levi’s attention was his eyes. An ocean of blue in turmoil, stirring in the mixture of emotions he kept to himself.

“Looks like I caught you red-handed,” Levi said, watching Eren roll up his sleeves, and forcing him to grimace at the sight, “Metaphorically and literally speaking.”

Eren’s hands were tinted in a deep reds. But it didn’t stop there. The colour ran up to his arms, mixing with other tints. Blue on his elbows, greens on his palms, black on his fingertips.

“I’ll wash it off immediately!” Eren barked as soon as he noticed the pair of eyes the scrutinized his arms.

“Good,” Levi set his teacup in the sink and continued on reviewing the reports in his hands, “Make sure you wake up early tomorrow. We’re doing drills.”

He began to exit the kitchen, flipping to the third page of the report, and stopped when a small voice called out to from behind him.

“Sir, about the Commander...”

“I have no business in your relationship with those Furry Eyebrows,” the Captain snapped all too quickly, “Now be a good little shit and tuck yourself into bed. I’ll send Hanji to come down and lock you up.”

“Okay,” the boy replied weakly.

Levi shot the boy a look, slightly stunned by the unenthusiastic reply from him, but didn’t linger on the subject.

Levi walked through the dim halls once again, realizing he had been looking through the report without actually reading it.

He sighed and hated himself.

–

Eren wanted to finish this as quickly as possible, so that he could show it to Petra, to Hanji, to the Commander and get their approval so that he can finally...

He cursed when he spilled the container of water that he laid on the floor. He sighed in relief when he remembered that it was Hanji who was locking him up for the night, else he would be in deep trouble. That gave him extra time he needed. He placed the stretched canvas against the wall and cleaned the spill, then refilled his container of water.

Okay, almost done, just a couple more touches, Eren thought. 

He dipped his paintbrush into the clear water, turning it a deep blue, then reached for the box beside him. He clicked the box open, the same one that the Commander had given him, and pulled out a dark shade of red. Everytime he opened the box, he’s reminded of the moment the Commander’s generosity. Paints were hard to come by during these times. They were as valuable as gemstones, and could only be found deep within the walls, especially sets that had a multitude of different colours and shades. Eren had never seen a set of paint before this, let alone even owning one. He couldn’t keep smiling at that thought. 

He had wished he had a palette though. Eren was forced to use his arms and hands instead of one, and he couldn’t steal a plate from the kitchen, knowing that his clean-freak Squad Captain had a full count of each item found in the kitchen. He was even lucky enough to find a container for water in the stables without him knowing.

A set off footsteps and clinking keys echoed across the castle’s basement startled Eren and woke him from his thoughts. 

It must be Captain Hanji, he thought to himself, and continued on to paint. The footsteps stopped at the door of his caged dungeon. He paid no mind to the quirky Squad Captain, knowing very well that she’d let herself in to peek at his work anyways. 

“You stupid brat,” a deep voice called out from behind him. Eren froze. That wasn’t Captain Hanji.

“You think I wouldn’t notice that the bucket from the stables was missing?” the dark-haired Captain leaned against the dungeon bars, “And before you ask that dumbass question of yours, Hanji was summoned by the Fuzzy Eyebrows so she couldn’t lock you up.” 

Eren didn't respond. His mind was too busy considering the options he had in hiding his canvas. He could put it faced own on the floor, but the paint is still wet. He could grab his sheets to cover it, but that would be too obvious. 

"Hey, you brat, what are you doing?"

Time's up. Eren whipped himself around, holding the canvas so that its back was toward the Captain. Levi stood with his body against the prison bars, one arm firmly grasping the door and the other resting on his hip. He seemed to be in a particularly good mood, despite the insulting manner he addressed Eren.

"Just doing some drawing," Eren said, his voice almost too telling. 

"Is that what's been staining your hands?" Levi asked, a hint of disgust in his voice. 

Eren didn't respond. He just wished from the Captain to leave. Why of all nights did it happen tonight? He was almost finished, a couple more hours and he would have been able to show his work to everyone. The Captain stared at him, and for long, dragging moment no one spoke. 

 

"Let me see it," the Captain stated.

"No," Eren said all too quickly. He tightened his grip on the canvas. Why was the Captain suddenly curious of his drawings? He never showed any interest in them. 

"Disobeying your superiors now?" Levi said as he pulled open the door and strode towards Eren. 

Eren squeaked and back into the wall. Levi's eyes sparkled with a sinister gleam as he reached for the canvas. 

"What are you so scared of? Is it a love confession for Erwin?" His tone dripped with pained sarcasm. 

"No! You can't see it, it's not done and--". Eren was cut off as Levi's strength overpowered his own, the canvas slipping from his grasp as Levi flipped it towards him. 

"Dammit you stupid brat, your stupid crush on the Commander is so obvious it--" Levi's words were lost as the canvas hit the stone floors with a loud thunk. He wasn't quite sure what he was seeing. A loud moan came from Eren, though Levi couldn't quite tell whether it was from frustration, anger or a mixture of both. The young soldier took a seat on his bed seemingly exhausted from Levi's sudden outburst. Once again, a heavy silence hung above them.

"I told you it wasn't finished," Eren started after a deep sigh. Levi caught Eren's eyes, and hell, they were glistening, despite the fact that his brows were crunched together. There was a hint of red forming on his cheeks and nose, his thin lips formed a scowl. Despite his expression, Eren didn't seem to be angry at all. Then again, he was never good at hiding or controlling his emotions. Eren held Levi's gaze, his blue eyes turning much brighter with every second that passed. The Captain was the first to look away. This time, he was the one mapping out the lines on the walls.

"The colours weren't quite right yet," Eren continued. Levi's blank eyes once again reached Eren's. He didn't speak a word. He just stared. Without warning, Levi bolted out the door. He didn't look back, his face expressionless as he hurried down the dungeon halls. With the small ounce of bravery left in him, Eren ran after the Captain. 

"Captain!" Eren called out. He grabbed Levi's arm and twisted the man to face him, "Was I...? Was I rejected?"

Levi just stood at his place and stared at Eren with empty eyes, and from that, the young soldier pieced together the answer he was looking for. He loosened his grip on the Captain's arm and let his hand fall to his side. The walls around him seemed to close in. It was as if someone had decided to twist his insides and squeeze it tightly. His thoughts were scrambled, his mind not knowing exactly what to do, and the pain on his chest was so strong he afraid that it could trigger an accidental transformation. It was too much for him. He was scared and angry and frustrated at Levi because it was all his fault, but most of all, he blamed himself. He was so stupid. In what crazy world would the Captain ever set his eyes on a pathetic little kid like him? 

"I won't accept it," Levi stated. A sarcastic chuckle erupted from Eren's lips. He already knew that.

He didn't even have a chance. Why didn't he consider it earlier? Eren realized he got cocky. It was also Petra's fault. And Captain Hanji's. And Captain Erwin. They all encouraged him. They pushed him to follow his heart, and holy hell, he should have known from previous experiences that shit like that didn't work out in real life. Were they making fun of him? That was probably it. They saw this as some stupid joke. An initiation prank to welcome him into the ranks. They were all stupid. Eren hated all of them, but he hated himself the most. He wanted to cry. He wanted to grab the keys from the Captain's pockets, lock himself up and never show his face to the world again. Maybe it would have been better of if he was just killed off by the military police, then he wouldn't have they stupid feelings for the Captain. None of this would have happened. He felt his eyes grow heavy and his vision began to blur as tears built up to block his vision. If only he wasn't so immature, so naive then--

A gentle touch pressed on Eren's lips.

And with that, Levi spun around and began to ascend the stairs. 

“I’ll send someone to lock you up,” the Captain called out.

Confusion hit Eren. What had just happened? Did the Captain just—? No. He refused to let it end this way. Was that an act of pity? He didn’t need that. Eren bolted to the stairs and grabbed Levi from one of his belts. He was greeted by a look both bearing annoyance and discontent. His eyes softened at Eren’ expression, and Levi couldn’t even hide the tugging on the corners of his lips.

Eren couldn’t hide his reaction either, not that he was trying to do so in the first place. Levi’s steel eyes wore the same shine as that morning in the forest, when he had found Eren sitting in his secret spot. The way the deep blue of his eyes caught the light, and despite the permanence of his crunched eyebrows, there was a glimmer that showed what he really felt. And hell, even the small smile he bared, his thin lips pressed together, almost too awkwardly, as if he was thinking how strange he must look wearing that expression. It was all the same. Eren thought he would never see that moment again. That’s why he sketched it. That’s why he painted it. And when he showed it to Petra, to Erwin, to Hanji—they all encouraged him to continue on. Eren wanted to preserve that memory and treasure it. 

Most of all, however, he wanted to show it to the Captain. Eren wanted him to see what he saw in Levi, and more importantly, what he felt for him. It was something beyond the uniform, the Wings of Freedom they donned on their cloaks. Or the rank and status, the relationship between two soldiers. Or even difference of their age. 

That’s why he painted.

“Tch,” Levi moved up a step, freeing himself from Eren’s grip on his gear, “Don’t look at me like that you stupid brat.”

“I won’t accept it until it’s done.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO. OMFG. I'm so sorry for the stupidly fluffy(ish) ending. I tried my best. I initially thought of the ending first, then wrote the rest of the story so, eughjk. It sounded better in my head okay?
> 
> Yes, the portrait he painted of Levi was that moment when they meet in the forest and Levi comes out smiling. 
> 
> UGH. I'm so sorry if it's riddled with errors~ I can only pick up so many of them on my own. T ^ T
> 
> See you in my next venture~ <3


End file.
